How To Start Greeting Card Business: 11 Steps and Strategy

Whether it’s for a special occasion or just to send some good regards, one can always show someone how much he or she cares with a fully customizable greeting card!

The world of business can open new avenues of interest around your art or craft passion. For the hobbyist, card-making is fun!

Have you been making cards for your own use, and are you now wondering if you should expand and sell your creations? Greeting cards are big business. People need them for countless occasions.

In This Article

Start Greeting Card Making Business

Know Basic

Not only do they send them to mark births, deaths, graduations, and anniversaries, but they also send them just to add cheer to a loved one’s day. Many people won’t even think about giving a gift unless a greeting card is attached.

If you have a unique idea for a line of greeting cards, artistic flair, or even talent with the written word, you can start a home-based greeting card business.

Be Creative

Working at home sounds easy, but it’ll be hard to earn a profit if you go overboard with your spending. If you’ve been making cards for a while, the start-up cost can be minimal, and the only upfront costs would be fees to show your work to your target shoppers.

If you see yourself enjoying the card-making process long-term, selling cards to sustain your passion can be a great way to go.

Visit several greeting card stores and gift shops to browse through their selection of greeting cards. As you browse, try to determine what is missing or how you can produce better cards. Search online for even more greeting card ideas.

Sell Online

Remember that many online cardmakers may have great ideas but don’t necessarily sell very well if they don’t know how to market.

If you can find a need in the greeting card business that hasn’t been completely dominated by another artist or card company, you can experience business success by filling it better than someone else is. Purchase the materials you will need for your greeting card business.

If you make handmade cards, you will need a range of special papers, pens, colored pencils, and embellishments.

If you design cards on your computer, you will need a desktop publishing program, scanner, printer, and card stock or photo paper. A paper cutter may prove helpful as well.

Build Home Base Office

Set up a home-based office in which you can create your greeting cards, market your business, and handle administrative and marketing tasks. If you don’t have room for an office, consider setting aside space in a finished basement, dining room, or even a guest room.

Stock your home-based office or space with basic office supplies and equipment as well as card-making supplies.

Set up your computer, fax machine, and phone in the same area. You can use this space for designing your cards and communicating with potential customers and suppliers.

Satisfaction is important

One thing to think about is your artistic style. The market is saturated, and competition is fierce, so a niche market or a unique look will help sell your cards. Do you have a drawing, painting, or collage style that makes your work pop and draws attention?

Some ideas you can try are:

paper pricking,
stitching on paper,
pop-up cards,
and paper quilling.

Explore your potential for a distinctive look in greeting cards. Make your style your own, and you’ll discover people drawn to your unique creations!

When you have selected what cards you will be making and selling, you will need to gather several accessories for your greeting card-making business. For digitally printed cards, you will need to have computers, scanners, designing software, and high-quality printers.

You can also outsource the printing arrangement. For other types of cards, you need to source beads, colors, blank card paper, and different craft-making items. You will find these materials from the local wholesale shop, or you can go for an online purchase.

How To Starting A Greeting Card Business

how you can make your Business cards unique

Mimic a Pattern

Find inspiration from bold patterns, such as we did with a woven pillow. Mimic this pattern on a card by cutting a rectangle of card stock. Then tape down the horizontal ribbon and thread the vertical ribbon through. Use different widths and patterns to create a unique look.

Use Real Flowers

Add a touch of realism to a card with pressed flowers. Make sure your flowers have lost all their moisture before using them in a project, or they may turn brown. To attach the flowers, use dry adhesive dots.

Use Botanical Prints

Create an elegant look by punching botanical stems in the center of a mod card. Use warm colors to emphasize this botanical look.

Stick It

Create an encouraging card with phrase stickers placed in a grid. Top it off with a simple flower detail.

Use Other Objects

Fashion a cute flower shape out of safety pins. Add beads to the pins for an extra touch. To hide the glue holding the pins together, adhere a button to the center of the design.

Sew It

Personalize a thank-you card by hand-stitching ribbon in the shape of a flower. Complete the look with machine-stitched lines.

Use Fabric

Use fabric to add texture to your card design. We covered a card with fabric pieces and then embellished it by machine-stitching other fabric pieces onto the card. For an extra special touch, create a flower out of sewn-together pouches.

The last element to consider for a small business is a website. Many online platforms offer tools for building a website on your own. Try a few sites out before giving up because they are not all made alike. Your own knowledge of computers will make one platform easier to use than another.

As your greeting card-making business grows, you can apply for a Patent and Copyright License. You will need to submit the designs and your company name with a specific application format and fees.